No Power But of God, Part 5
A brief Epiſtle to the World.
MY friends, I finde it written Joh. 3. … That God ſo loved the world, that he … his onelyonly begotten Son, that whoſoever believe him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting … Again, the Lord doth expreſs his love & w… lingnes to ſave them, with an oath too, greateſt that ever he took, Ezekiel 33. 10, As I live ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſur… the death of the wicked, but that he turn from way and live. Turn yee, turn yee, why will die O houſe of Iſrael? Again, this loving G… hath laid his command upon me, Matt… 44, &c. But I ſay unto you, love your enem… bleſſe them that curſe you, doe good to them … hate you, and pray for thoſe that deſpitefully you and perſecute you, that you may be the … dren of your Father which is in heaven; fo… maketh the Sun to riſe upon the juſt and un… and ſendeth rain upon the good and upon the … Now I cannot tell wherein I might exp… my love to you, more then in theſe th… things, viz. To ſhew you your miſery, the cauſes thereof, and then the remedy. theſe three things as the grounds, I … …iefly and plainly ſpeak, not diſtinctly or …rticularly, being ſtraightned in my time …ore then in my love.
My friends, It is commonly reported …t the Lawyer and the Phyſitian doe live the two ill humours of man; the one of … Body, the other of the Minde: and may not as truly ſay, that the Covetous …wyer and the pretended Miniſter do cheat … people, the one in Temporals, the other Spirituals? Hence it is, that the Lord de…unceth a Woe againſt the one, as Luk. 11. …. 52. compared together; and a Wo, wo, … againſt the other, as you may ſee at …ge, Matt. 23. 13, 15. Oh poore ſoules! …ould even weep to conſider, what a ſad …ndition you are in; Firſt, in your bodies …d eſtates; one while, in comes the Lawyer … his Bribes, next the Collectors for Con…bution, and anon or the next day the …niſter or his Clerk for his Dues or …thes; and when theſe be gone, the …uldiers are on their March, and muſt …ve quarter for a while, and ſo what the …rmer have left, theſe take. I know theſe …e your complaints, and I cannot altoge…er blame yon; for as long as your treaſure … upon the earth, it is almoſt as eaſie to part …ith ones blood as with ones goods.
But my friends, theſe are but the leaſt your Cheats, for there be ravening Wol… that doe bite cloſer, and yet never bar… theſe before mentioned doe but deprive y… of temporals, but theſe Wolves doe ch… you in ſpirituals; the former do but … the doore of your earthly comforts up… you, but theſe that I now ſpeak of doe … the doore of Heaven againſt you: See Ma… 23. 13, 15, 16. O theſe Teachers of yo… that you have ſo long cried up for bra… Church-men and great Schollers, theſe ha… brought in all their humane learning varniſhed and painted over, that you poo… ſouls have taken it to be ſpiritual thing… and ſo millions of poor ſouls are deceiv… by them: theſe Wolves came to you ſheeps cloathing, and after a little whi… made you believe that you were Chriſtian… and ſo gave you the Sacrament of the Lor… Supper, and Baptized your Children, an… perhaps made you members of their Co… gregations, and called you brethren; b… theſe men have cheated you, they have ma… you believe that they have fed you wi… Bread and that in your Fathers houſe, b… they have fed you with Husks, and that … mong Swine: Let me tell you, that you Faith, your Hope, your Patience and Sel… denyal is not the Faith, Hope, Patience and …elf-denial of the Goſpel; your aſſurance …r Heaven is unfound; you have been daw…d with untempered mortar: the day is al…oſt come that thou muſt die, & after death …me to judgment, and then be judged ac…rding to thy works: Then if thou doeſt …ant Oyle in thy Lamp, which is Grace in …e heart, thou wilt be ſhut out; it will be … vaine then with Balaam to fall a praying, …ord let me die the death of the righteous, and let … latter end be like his: No, no, He that will … the death of the righteous, muſt live the life of … righteous. Thoſe that he appointed for …ory hereafter, ſhall have the beginning of …ace here, for they be choſen to ſalvation …rough ſanctification of the Spirit and be…ef of the truth; and without holineſſe no man …all ſee the Lord. Your Leaders have cauſed …ou to erre; the blinde hath led the blinde, and …th will fall into the ditch, unleſſe you be…are in time.
O poore Souls! I cannot blame you to …omplain of bad ſuffering times, to be thus …heated on every ſide; you have but a Body …nd a Soule; and to be deceived and depri…ed of the comfortable being of the one …here, and to have no aſſurance of reſt for …he other hereafter, is a ſad condition indeed. Oh how be the people deſtroyed for want of knowledge! Like Prieſt, like People, as in Hoſ. 4. 6, 9. The Prophets there of doe teach for hire, and the Prieſts divine for money, and you poore ſimple ones love to hav… it ſo: O you ſimple ones, how long will yee lov… ſimplicity, and you ſcorners delight in ſcorning … you are deceived, and by thoſe that you leaſt miſtruſted, namely the Prophets, Mich. 3. 5. Do… but ſpend a little time, and tracethis Trib… from the Prophet Iſaiah's dayes untill now… Firſt, Iſaiah complains of them in his dayes, Iſai. 28. 7. Jeremy complains of them in hi… dayes, J…. …0. 6. and Ezekiel the Prophe… complain of them in his daies, Ezek. 22. 26. So the Prophets, Daniel, Hoſea, Joel, and Amos; theſe alſo complains of the badneſſe of this generation. Then the Prophet Micah he complains of their ſins, and propheſieth of their judgements, Mich. 3. from v. 5. to the end of the Chapter.
Then when Chriſt came in the fleſh, h… was oppoſed by them, and complains o… them, Matt. 23. 13, 15, 16. then the Apoſtles themſelves were continually perſecuted and afflicted from time to time by them, as you may read in the Acts of the Apoſtles.
And if there be any truth in Hiſtories, ſee what a ſort of Miniſtry there were in Henry … eighth's dayes: when the King denied Popes Supremacy, how ſoon did this …be face about and ſide with the King? …en again, in the dayes of Edward the ſixt, …reaſon of his pious reſolution, though … young, the Clergie feared a turn, and …eſently fell a preaching againſt the Maſſe…ok, and it was ſoon aboliſhed, and the …mmon-Prayer-book ſet up in its place; …d theſe men zealous Common-Prayer…ok men. And then about three or foure …ars after that Queen Mary was made …ueen, the Clergie bethought themſelves, …d preſently the greateſt part of them tur…d about again, from Common-Prayer…ok to Maſſe-Book; for ſay they, the diffe…nce is not great.
Then after Queen Mary was dead, and Queen Elizabeth had the Crown…, pre…ently the whole tribe of them, except ſome …w, turned Proteſtants again; under which ſhape, and in which viſage they have …ontinued untill the beginning of this pre…ent Parliament: Well, the Parliament had not ſate long, but the Wolfe covered with Sheeps cloathing was diſcovered; and after a little conſideration it was put to the Vote, and ſuddenly after tumbled down the Prelatical diſcipline root and branch: Wel, what follows? why, our Clergie for … moſt part threw aſide their Surpliſſe Hoods and Tippets, Organs, and Altar… Bowings and Cringings, Tapers and Ca… dles, and perk up into the Pulpit, an… lifts up their voices, and preach again thoſe things; and ſo became the reveren… laborious, zealous Miniſters of England. thou deſireſt a fuller diſcovery of this look into what I have written before, ca… led A word to the pretended Miniſter, and neither of theſe will … ſatisfie thee, if thou wil… ſee the Wolfe ſtript of his Sheeps cloathing indeed, then look into the Chronicles … England, Scotland, and Ireland; Mr. Fox hi… book of Acts and Monuments of th… Church and his Hiſtory of Martyrs, &c.
O then, take heed how you hear! Luke 8. 18… take heed whom you heare, Jer. 27. 9. take hee… what you hear, Mark 4. 24. Beloved, I have not written theſe things to take off your affections from the true Miniſters of the Goſpel, but to diſengage your hearts & affections from the ravening Wolves, that the Lord Chriſt hath commanded me and you to beware of, Matt. 7. 15, and Acts 20. 29. and Joh. 10. 12. Again, Believe not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they be of God, 1 Joh. 4. 1. For many deceivers are entred into the …orld, 2 Joh. 7. Theſe things have I written …nto you concerning them that ſeduce you; 1 Joh. …. 26. Now that you might take heed whom you hear, how you hear, and what …ou hear, and that you might not believe …very ſpirit, but try the ſpirits, whether …hey be of God: I ſhall (under correction) …nd with ſubmiſſion to better judgements …ive my thought of the one & of the other, …nd endeavour to put a difference between … Prelate and a Pilate, a Feeder and a Flee…er, a Blinde-beetle and a Seer, a Butcher …nd a Shepheard, a Deſtroyer and an Inſtru…ter, a Tyrant and a Father, a Thief and a Keeper, a Seducer and a Leader, a ravening Wolf and a moderate Shepheard; that ſo …ou might caſt off the one, and embrace the other: and truly herein I cannot ſpeak in …allibly, but give my thoughts at a diſtance, …or Satan hath transformed himſelf into an Angel of light, and his works are more my…terious then ever; the Lord cannot have …is Church, but the Devil will have his Chappel; if they will have Ordinances, he will have them too; if they will congregate themſelves together by uniting in one ſpirit, Sathan and his company will unite together in one form of communion, and afterwards teach union: If the true Church of Chriſt will teach firſt the Doctrinal par… and then the practical part; Sathan wi… allow his Miniſters to preach the ſame, on… ly with this difference, he will put the… upon building before they have laid th… foundation; if the true Chruch will buil… upon the rock, Sathan and his compan… will build too, but his foundation muſt … laid on ſand. I ſhall now endeavour … give my judgement of the pretended Min… ſter firſt, and then of the true Miniſt… next, that ſo you might hold to the o… and forſake the other.
A falſe Prophet or Miniſter then may … known, viz.
1. He is one that doth cauſe the peopl… to erre, Mich. 3. 5.
2. He doth bark at the Sheep an… bite at the Lambs, and teach others ſo t… doe. Mich. 3. 5, 6. But God will write ſham… upon them. Verſ. 7.
3. He is one that doth ſeek and ſe… up himſelf, 1 Pet. 5. 3. and 1 Tit. 11.
4. He is one that ſeeks not to gain ſouls to Chriſt but rather to make diviſions and factions, Act. 20. 30.
5. Although they pretend to it, they take no care of the flock of Chriſt, Joh. 10. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Acts 20. 29.
6. They may be known by this alſo, …ot withſtanding all pretences of Pietie; …ou ſhal finde them prophane either in …rinciples or practice: 2 Pet. 2. 14, 18. …ud. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 9. 13.
7. They deny and overthrow moſt …f the ſubſtantial points in Religion un…er ſpecious pretences, 2 Pet. 2. 2. 2 Tim. …. 18.
8. They may be known by this al…o, they will pretend an intereſt in God, and an enjoyment of God, and ſo ſet up themſelves, and ſpeak evil of others. 2 Pet. 10 verſ. 18, 19.
9. They doe break the bruiſed reeds and quench the ſmoking flax; ſtrengthen the hands of the wicked, and weaken the Saints, juſt as their forefathers left upon record and written for their learning, Ezek. 34, 2, 3, &c.
10. When theſe men doe ſuffer as evill doers, and that juſtly, they will be telling their Congregations it is ſuffering times, and they ſuffer for Chriſt; when alas poor ſouls! you doe now ſuffer for being enemies to Chriſt and his people: you are a little buffeted, but is it not for your faults? have you not of late backſlided from Presbyterie to Cavalieriſme? What would become of England this day, if the Engliſh Nation had been ruled by you as the Scotti… Nation was by their Clergie? Blood criet… for vengeance in England and Scotland; an… as for theſe things that you cal ſuffering fo… Chriſt, let me tell you, theſe be but the beginnings of ſorrow to you.
Now as for theſe falſe Prophets and pretended Miniſters, and ravening Wolves; le… me tell them that their trade is at the beſt thoſe daies of cheating do ſhorten apace… their work is almoſt at an end; they or a… leaſt ſome of them may continue ſome moneths, but not many years, for Antichriſt is going down, and then I am ſur… you cannot ſtand up; ſurely, his time is very ſhort, death-pangs are upon him, he is now breathing his laſt gaſpe, for he hath plaied his laſt game, and is diſcovered in his ſubtilleſt defigne, Sheeps cloathing and Lambs horns will no longer deceive; the Wolf is ſtript and the Beaſt diſcovered, and the ſtormie night of affliction is almoſt paſt with the Church; the time of the ſinging of Birds is come, and the voyce of the turtle is heard, though yee like liars are telling the people that theſe Birds are Birds of prey.
Then the true Miniſters of the Goſpel …ay be known by theſe and the like Chara…ers, viz.
1. He that is a faithful Miniſter of Je…s Chriſt, will ſeek the honour of Chriſt be…re his own good, Act. 3. 12, 13, &c.
2. A true Miniſter of the Goſpel is … farre from Monopolizing the Trade of …reaching to himſelf (& a few of his Coat) …at he could wiſh in his heart with Moſes …hat all the Lords people were Prophets, …umb. 11. 29. And with Paul rejoyce that …he Goſpel is preached, whether it be in …retence or truth. Chriſt is preached; and … doe therein rejoice, and I will rejoice, Phil. 18.
3. A true Miniſter of the Goſpel is …xperienced in the myſterie; he accounts …he hiſtorie dark without the myſterie, … Cor. 2, 4. 10. 13. and 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. and … Joh. 1. 3.
4. He is or ought to be faithfull …o diſpence the Word of God in conſcience …nto God, freely, not as pleaſing men. 1 Theſſ. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. and 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11. 1 Tim. 1. 12. and 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. and 1 Cor. 9. 16.
5. He is one that is pure in Doctrine and holy and unblamable in life and converſation, 1 Tim. 4. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 7.
6. He is or ought to be one that is ſou… and well-grounded in himſelf, that ſo … might ſpeak from experience. Rom. 15. 1… & 1 Cor. 11. 23. 1 Tim. 3. 6. Tit. 1. 9. … Tit. 1. 1.
7. He is or ought to be skilfull in d… viding to every one his portion, that … may not give Childrens bread to dogs, an… Dogs meat to children, as moſt do in th… dayes. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Tit. 2. 1. 7. 15.
8. He that is a faithful Miniſter of Chri… may be known by his tenderneſſe & gentleneſſe towards his Flock, as a Father, Shepherd, and Nurſe. Act. 20. 28. I Pet. 5. … 1 Theſſ. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 3. 2.
9. He is one that accounts no time no… place unfit or unſeaſonable to reprove, r… buke, exhort, with all long ſuffering an… doctrine, 2 Tim. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 15. Rom… 12. 7.
10. He is or ought to be one that dot… freely and fully diſpenſe the truth, and no… thing but the truth. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Act. 20. 27… 1 John 1. 3.
11. If he be a Scholar in humane ſchools he layes that by whiles he is preaching th… Goſpel. 1 Cor. 2. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 9. 19, 22… 1 Cor. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 18, 19.
12. He endeavours to carry himſelf ſo … that he may give no offence to any one in …ny thing. 2 Cor. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6.
13. He is one that may be known by this …ſo: If he hath ought againſt any man, …ther ſuperiors or inferiors, either King, …arliament or Common wealth, he will re…rove them ſharply, yet with the ſpirit of …eekneſſe, and that to their faces, not raile …ehind their backs. 1 King. 22. 8. & 2 Sam▪ …2. 7. Nehem. 5. 7. Jer. 1. 17. Amos 7. 12. 13. … Chron. 24. 20. 21. Mar. 6. 18.
14. A true and faithful Miniſter of the …oſpel, will not do a thing that is lawfull, …nleſſe it be expedient alſo. See an inſtance …r this in your brother Paul, 2 Theſſ. 3. 9. … 1 Cor. 9. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Here we find Paul …ad power, and it was lawful for him to …equire wages for preaching, but it was …ot expedient, and therefore he would not …o it, 2 Theſſ. 3. 8. 1 Cor. 9. 12, 15, &c.
Now where there be men of this chara…er, whether they have received Ordination …rom Prelacie or Presbyterie yea or no, or …ave renounced ſuch their admiſſion to the …iniſtry (as many of them have done upon …ound terms, and ſo muſt the reſt, or elſe …hey will be laid aſide both by God & man) … ſay, of ſuch men I am fully ſatisfied; I …onour them, I love them, I embrace them, as the ſervants of Chriſt, and leaders of h… people: Yet I ſhall endeavour with th… Bereans, when I hear them preach, to ſear… the Scriptures, to ſee whether they ſpea… according to that rule: becauſe I know, … the beſt, they be but men, and know but in pa… and may erre in viſion, and ſtumble in judgement.
Now if thou examine our preſent Miniſtery by theſe and the like Rules, thou wi… ſee how few there are, that may be trul… called the Learned, laborious, zealou… pious, faithful Miniſters of Chriſt Jeſus And when thou haſt found ſuch a faithfu… Miniſter, eſteem him highly for his work… ſake; for the feet of thoſe that bring th… glad tidings of peace are beautiful. But o… poor ſouls! you have been deceived by th… Deceivers, and devoured by the ravenin… Wolves: wherefore if you will be undeceived, you muſt be untaught again, and begi… at the firſt principles of religion. The wa… to become rich, is to ſee your ſelves poor … and the way to be wiſe, is to become a fool … and the way to get Chriſt, is to ſee the wan… of Chriſt.
Oh claime thy common intereſt in th… promiſes! for they be made to ſinners, and as a ſinner thou haſt an intereſt in them▪ and for thy direction herein, read my firſt …ok called A word to the World. Read alſo …at bleſſed place, Job 33. 27. 28. Joh. 3. 16. …ev. 22. 17. Mat. 11. 28. Iſa. 55. 7. Iſa. 53. 56. Cor. 5. 19, 20, 21.
… brief Epiſtle to all the Lambs, that through … a Providence have not been devoured by the … Wolves.
O You moſt noble, overcoming Saints, ſonnes of Sion, and ſervants of the …oſt High God! Awake, awake; Put on … ſtrength O Sion, put on thy beautiful garments … Jeruſalem. Thou holy City, give eare a …le, ſilence thy own thoughts, and thou …lt hear the Lord Chriſt calling and ſay…g, Ariſe my beloved and come away: for the … is dawning, and the day-ſtar ariſing in your …rts. Take the wings of hope, and flie in… the aire of comfort, where thy treaſure … Behold, Chriſt cometh, leaping upon … mountains, and skipping upon the hils. …s the voice of my welbeloved, ſaying, open to … my ſiſter, my ſpouſe. Oh how often did he …? how earneſtly did he knock? how …werfully did he ſtrive? how long did he wait upon you, before mine, and yo… ſtubborne hard hearts would yeeld obe… ence to his deſires: if he had never lov… you, you had never loved him; if he h… never drawne you, you had never com… if he had never ſought you, you had be… yet ſtraying in the wildrneſſe of fin… Liſten a little, for he knocks at the do… of thy heart; open to him, bid him t… poſſeſſion of that which is his own; and th… O the breathings, and celeſtial ſtreamin… forth of love that be between the Crea… and this creature! Oh how doth the ſo… dance and leap for joy! Oh how is it … viſhed with the preſence of him ſo mu… longed for! Oh how doth the love Chriſt affect the ſoule, and even tranſpo… the heart to admiration! All the pangs … the new birth, all the throws of its trave… all its after-births of ſorrow, are now fo… gotten, and ſwallowed up in raviſhme… For me to live, ſaith the ſoule, is Chriſt, and dye is gaine. I will not feare though the tr… ſhould yeeld no fruit, the fields no meat, … flocks periſh from the ſtall, yet I will, ſaith … ſoule with Job, bleſſe the name of the Lo… yea I will rejoyce in the name of the Lord, for … the time of famine he will feed me. The plagu… of Egypt, the botches of Job, the enem… … David, the impriſonment of Joſeph, the …verty of Lazarus, the bonds of Paul, can…t deprive me; for his rod and his ſtaffe doth …fort me. Let the earth quake and ſwell, …d ſeas roar, and hell rent, and rocks and …untains be carried into the depth of the …; yea let all the proud oppoſers, and falſe …chers tremble with horrour and aſto…hment, yet will I truſt in the Lord, and tri…h in my God (ſay the Lambs of Chriſt) … beloved hath pronounced me faire, and …ere is no ſpot or wrinkle in me; the day … mine eſpouſal is come, wherein all the …orious holineſſe of divine wiſdome, yea … the all of Chriſt is made over to me: …hat ſhall I want who have all things to …joy? who ſhall lay any thing to my charge? it God that juſtifies me, who ſhall condemne me? what is man that thou art mindful of him, or … ſonne of man that thou doeſt thus regard him! … bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule, and forget not … his henefits. I was a dry and barren …ee, fit for nothing but burning, but he …th given me life, and I have a promiſe …at I ſhall flouriſh in his Courts. All the …ings that be under the Sunne, are not ſo …recious as one ſmile from his counte…ance. Let friends forſake me, let enemies …eride me, let all worldly comforts leave me. If I enjoy one ſmile from him, it enough (ſay the enlightened Lambs … Chriſt) Oh how wonderfully he preſer… me from the late devouring ſword whi… hath cut downe thouſands, and fro… famine, plague, and peſtilence, which h… been round me! and for my ſpiritual en… mies which were within me, he hath bee… with me in the fire that it ſhould not bu… me, and in the water that it ſhould … drowne me. He hath delivered me in … troubles, and the ſeventh could not hu… me. O world, fleſh, and devil. Let me li… to him whoſe I am, for I am not my own… I am bought with a great price, and I a… now to live to him whoſe I am. O what … I render to the Lord for all his benefits? O th… I knew wherein I might honour him th… hath ſo highly honoured me, ſaith the tru… believing ſoule. O taſte and ſee that the Lo… is gracious; it is life to know him, it is heaven to behold him, it is melody to hear… him, it is endleſſe happineſſe to enjoy him he is the brightneſſe of his Fathers glory yea he is altogether lovely; he is all th… tongue can aske, thine heart can wiſh, o… thy minde conceive; he is light in darkneſſe joy in ſorrow, reſt in trouble, health i… ſickneſſe, food in famine, life in death …eaven in hell. O be open everlaſting doors, …at the King of glory may enter in! Away from …e all ye workers of iniquity, (ſay the Lambs …f Chriſt) I will cleave to him that hath …reſerved me from the wolfe that came to …eceive me in ſheeps cloathing; I will now …urne out of doors ſinne and Sathan, as …cob ſaid to Laban, Theſe many years have I …rved you, but now it is time to look to my …wne portion, mine owne houſe, my time … almoſt ſpent, for my dayes are ſwifter then a …eavers ſhuttle, Job 6. 7.
I will now returne to, and walk intire… with my Father, and when he ſeeth me …mming, although afar off, he will runne … meet me with ſweet kiſſes and loving ſa…tations. He will powre the oile and …ine of his graces into my wounds, he will …t me upon his owne ſtrength, and bring …e into communion and fellowſhip with …m, and his Saints in Mount Sion.
But now O Saints and ſervants of the …oſt High God, who have laid down your …rowns at the feet of Chriſt, and have …ade choice of him for your portion, re…yce in your portion; let your thoughts …e upon, and your ſpeeches of your por…on.
You doe ſay, that ye be ſonnes and ſervants of the moſt High God: Let it appear by your obedience to your Father, Rom. 6. 16.
You ſay that ye are his ſheep: doe ye hear his voice? Joh. 10. 27.
You ſay that you doe abide in him: learne to walke as he walked, 1 Joh. 2. 6.
If Chriſt have dyed for you: let us know it by your living unto him, 2 Cor. 5. 15.
You doe ſay that you doe know him: let us ſee it by your keeping his commandements, 1 Joh. 2. 4.
You doe ſay that you are righteous and religious: let us ſee it by your bridling your tongue: l…ſt your Religion appear to be vaine, 1 Jam. 26.
If you have received a Kingdome that cannot be moved, let us ſee it by your ſerving him with reverence and godly feare, Heb. 12. 28.
You ſay he is your God, and that you ſee your particular intereſt in him: let it be knowne to us by your obedience to him, 1 Pet. 1. 17.
You ſay that you be the Spouſe of Chriſt: let us know it by your enquiring after him, and telling of the excellencies that be in him, Cant. 5. 6. 9.
If you be his Diſciples, let us know it …y your love one to another, Joh. 13. 35.
You tell us that you believe in him, Shew … your faith by your works, 2 Jam. 18.
If you live in the Spirit, let us know …t by your walking in the Spirit, Gal. …. 25.
If you be grafted into the true Vine, …et us know it by your fruitfulneſſe, …oh. 15. 5.
If you are Chriſts, let us know it by the …rucifying your fleſh, Gal. 5. 24.
If you be indeed planted in the houſe of …he Lord, let us know it by your flouriſh…ng in his Courts, Pſal. 92. 13.
You ſay that he hath choſen you to ſal…ation: let us know it by your fanctifica…ion of the Spirit, and beliefe of the truth, Eph. 1. 4.
You ſay that you live in the will of God: let us know it by your doing his will, …nd by your rejoycing when his will is lone, though it croſſe your owne wills, Job 1. 21.
O my brethren, methinks the ſpirit of …hankfulneſſe is not up in your ſoules; we …e more ſenſible of our wants, then we be of our mercies: O what could the Lord …ave done more then he hath done already! we have all we have ſought for, and much more! O England, England! Awake, awa… put on thy ſtrength, O Sion, put on thy beautif… garments. O Ieruſalem, prepare to meet th… King. Bid adieu to all earthly comforts▪ … not mercies be ſo common, as not to return the praiſe to him that gave them. O… what would we have parted with, withi… theſe 10 years, for one of the leaſt of the mercies that we doe now enjoy! O be not ſ… much in craving and begging, and ſo little in bleſſing and praiſing the fountaine o… our mercies.
Remember, praiſing the Almighty wil… be the work of a Saint in the life to come … there will be no need of prayer, faith, hope, and patience; all theſe will end in fruition Oh then begin the work here, that thou ſhalt be alwayes doing in the life to come … The book of Revel. that ſpeaks of the laſt ſtate of the Church upon earth, it ſpeaks of Praiſing, but ſeldome of Prayer: And why? Thoſe things were granted that they had formerly prayed for. Beloved, can a man reckon thoſe mercies that the Lord hath given in within theſe ten years, both National and Perſonal? ſhall we forget all; and in ſtead of rejoicing with the Saints fall a mourning with the world? The voice cries, Rejoice ye righteous, and howl O Babylon! Rejoice ye righteous; for ye have a Father to ſtand by you, a Chriſt to deliver you, Angels to guard you, Comforts to refreſh you, and Promiſes to ſuſtain you; and rather then ye ſhall want, the Ravens ſhall …eed you, the Heavens ſhall drop down food to relieve you, the Rocks ſhall ſtream forth rivers to refreſh you: therefore let nothing diſmay you, or draw your hearts back again, like Lots wife, into Sodome, or the Children of Iſrael unto the fleſh-pots of Egypt. The wicked and unbelieving, they cannot praiſe him: And ſhall Chriſt have none to exalt him? O let your mouths be filled with his praiſes! ſound Hallelujahs to him, who liveth for ever and ever, for this is …he will of God concerning you. As for the world, alas, they know not how to praiſe him! How ſhall they ſing the Lords ſong in Ba…ylon? But the living, the living, in Mount Sion, ſhall praiſe thee.
O thou in whom are all our ſprings, and …rom whom we receive all our ſupplies; and all you that be the true ſheep of Chriſt, make it your work with Mary to ſit at his …eet, and heare his voyce. You have heard …trangers a long time, and have not conſidered that the glory of Chriſt doth over…hadow all other glories, his voyce is ſweet, and his countenance is comely, his preſence deſireable, and his love unfathomable.